Chapter 27 (Essence sight codex)

Drake, still enjoying his lunch along with

Mark seated across him, decided to

break the silence. "Mark, there's been

something nagging me on my thoughts."

In the middle of eating his meal, Mark

paused and put his right arm on the

table, bending his neck slightly in Drake's

direction."What is on your mind,

bordering you? Let me in on it."

Drake also placed his arms on the table,

holding his fist and knife, and gently

raised his voice. "When I was travelling

down here, I noticed some kind of

advanced development at the carriage

station. The way it was built and

designed, down to their organised

operation. Also, when I got into my room,

I noticed some crystal lamps that lit up

the room. What's bothering me is where

this knowledge came from."

Mark smiled at him. "I thought it was

something serious. That's something

everyone has a rough idea about.

There's a legend that another world

exists and the evidence that all this

knowledge and technology here came

from it."

Drake looked shocked, thinking

Mark was referring to earth."Did you

mean a world where mana doesn't exist

and people relay on technology?"

Mark tightened his lips, shaking his

head. "No, this world I'm talking about is

said to have more powerful mages; with

just a thought, they can invoke magic. In

fact, this world is just a subordinate

dimension to it."

Drake looked astonished, hearing this.

"Then why haven't people from that

world and here either ascend or descend

from any of these worlds?" He said,

locking his gaze at Mark.

Mark gentlylooked both sides and

covered his right side of his mouth with

the back of his left hand.

"Reason for them not descending down

here is still unknown, but for people in

this world, you must be at the level of a

great grandmaster with nine circle rings

to have the qualification to ascend.

They were about to continue their meal

when Drake suddenly remembered

something. "Please, I need to visit the

academy library, but it seems finding my

way there won't be easy. Can you help

me with it?" He exclaimed.

Mark gently drops his knives, places his

elbows on the table, and rests his chin on

his hands. "It seems the news about you

not being from the Kaldris kingdom's

royalty was true." Mark cleared his

throat. "You see, the architectural layout

of this academy is well known to all

Noble families. So I brought this." He

passed a cardstock to Drake. "This will

help. It contains the architectural layout

of the academy."

Drake received it and slipped it into his

pocket. "Thank you for your help. You're

really helpful."

"You don't need to say that. What are we

friends for?" They both smiled and

continued with their meals.

Meanwhile Griffin had been stealthily

approaching Drake with a cup of

steaming green tea clutched in his right

hand. As he drew closer, he sloshed the

tea at Drake. Drake reacted instinctively,

flipping backward from his seat with

instant swaying of the fork in his right

hand like lightning at Griffin's neck a few

inches away.

Silence descended upon the bustling

dining hall like a thick fog, instantly. Every

eye fixed on the scene. All students from

prominent families were stunned by the

swiftness of Drake's action and

recognised the fork's movement as

something beyond their capabilities.

They were all intimidated by the

emanated energy from Drake's body as

sweat dripped down their foreheads.

During the sequence, Drake was not

being himself, as if he was manipulated

by an unseen force.

Professor William, who is 6.1 feet tall with

a slight broad chest and dark blue hair,

and pupils who had come to observe the

newly admitted students also noticed the

incident.

Realising the situation, Drake grabbed

his food tray and rushed out of the dining

hall after returning it to the kitchen.

After walking far from the dining hall, he

pulled out the cardstock to find his way to

the library.

Diamond Mage Academy, sprawled

across 980,000 square meters, is

divided into two sections:

the junior section at its west and the

senior section at its east. In the junior

section, the administration building

(housing the principal and staff offices) is

located 35 degrees north. The Academy

building (including male and female

dressing rooms, lecture hall, training and

evaluation center), laboratory buildings

at the centre, and dining hall in between

the Academy building and the

administration building.

The Mana and Aura assimilation

chamber, mental strength sanctuary 94

degrees south-east,while the library is

278 degrees north-west, the physical

and mental evaluation building at the

west, and the female dormitory at the

south, with each building no less than

1,200 square meters in size, with each

expanded by the addition of multiple

rooms and several meters separating

them.

The senior section has a similar layout,

with the addition of a building in the

North East called Task Headquarters.

Drake stepped into the academy library,

built in a circular layout. searching for a

method for mana assimilation. Several

attempts later, none of the books related

to that could be found, but a book piqued

his interest called 'Essence sight codex'

written by Tiberius Victor.

As he browsed through it, a familiar

voice cut through the silence. "I bet

you're looking for a book on the mana

assimilation method."

Drake turned to the voice. "Principal,

what brings you here?" Principal Logan

with his arms behind him moved closer.

"Just came out for a scroll." He replied,

his gaze suddenly falling on the book in

Drake's hand. "Hmm, Tiberius Victor."

This made Drake lock his gaze with

principal Logan.

"Do you know this scientist? I mean the

author of this book." Principal Logan

signs heavily, looking up at the library's

roof before returning attention to Drake.

"Yes, we were playmates during our

academy days. But for some reason I

can't share with you, he suddenly

disappeared."

Drake sees the pity in principal Logan's

eyes. "I'm sorry to have unearthed your

memories."

Principal Logan waved his hand

dismissively. "No, you haven't done

anything. It's something that crosses my

mind occasionally." He turned to leave.

"You can have that book. It's been here

touched for ages. Don't worry, I will

inform the head librarian. So have a

wonderful day." Logan departed.

Drake clutched the book, heading back

to his dormitory.